Improving Your Smile After Losing Teeth

Even if you’ve taken excellent care of your teeth, you may eventually end up with a chipped tooth, a broken tooth or a few missing teeth. Fortunately, dental health procedures have come a long way. Here are a few ways that a good dentist can help you improve your smile after losing teeth.

Dentures and Partial Dentures

Dentures are replacement teeth, usually fixed to your gum with adhesive. A partial denture replaces part of a tooth. Dentures are seen as inferior to implants because adhesive can be unreliable and unpleasant, and even a choking hazard.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are as close as you can get to new, natural teeth. They protect your jaw and surrounding teeth in ways that dentures cannot. They last a very long time and are nearly indistinguishable from natural teeth. The best offices will use a titanium post that acts as the root of the missing tooth. Dental implants can be placed in either the upper or lower jaws. Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone and becomes a good anchor for the replacement tooth. Dental implants can be used in solutions for replacing single or multiple missing teeth.

Dental Bridge

Dental bridges traditionally are a way to replace a gap of one or two spaces surrounded by teeth that are used for stability.

If all your teeth are missing or need to be replaced, a fixed bridge anchored to dental implants is the best permanent solution. Some benefits include:

• A dental bridge lets you eat and function like you have a full set of natural teeth
• It preserves your facial appearance and prevents bone loss

The treatment procedure and number of visits depends on the condition of the patient’s gums and teeth but often involves multiple visits.

Dental Crowns

A crown (or cap) is a tooth-colored, custom-made covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. Crowns protect and strengthen teeth that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations. They are ideal for teeth that have large, fractured or broken fillings and also for those that are badly decayed.

At West County Dental, we provide personalized family dental care using state of the art procedures. Adhering to a standard of excellence, we provide comprehensive treatment, from preventive care to restorative dentistry. When you reserve a visit with West County Dental, you can be confident that our team of highly-trained dental professionals will provide you the care you need for a healthy smile. Call (314) 488-2921 or contact us through our website today!

Tips for a Cavity Free Holiday

The holidays are a time of togetherness, and presents, and fun, and sweets. Often, lots and lots of sweets. Pumpkin pies, fruit cakes, candy canes, chocolates, eggnog, gingerbread and cookies. All that sugar can take a heavy toll on your tooth enamel. Here are a few tips to avoid getting cavities and rotten teeth for Christmas.

Have Sweets in Moderation

You don’t have to avoid all the sweets to keep your teeth healthy. Just pay attention to how much you’re consuming. Consider having half a piece of pie, half a glass of eggnog, or one cookie instead of two. Don’t feel pressured to try every desert your friends brought to the holiday party.

Brush After Eating

You’ve been told all your life to brush between meals, but during the holidays, you may want to brush more often. We go to Christmas parties with punch and desserts, get offered cookies at work, and receive sweets from the neighbors. Brushing between meals is great, but it’s better to brush every time we have sugary foods or drinks. And replace your toothbrush when the bristles look worn. A new one will be more effective. If you’re not able to brush where you are, rinse your mouth with water. This removes excess sugar from your teeth.

Floss Daily

Many of us don’t like to floss, but it’s important to the health of your teeth and your gums. Buy an extra tooth floss or two so there’s always one available, and make it part of your daily routine. You don’t have to floss after every meal, but do it often enough to keep your mouth healthy, like every night before you go to bed. If you don’t enjoy flossing, consider other flossing products in the dental health section of your pharmacy or grocery store.

Schedule a Dental Appointment

Because of all these holiday sweets, it’s a good idea to schedule a dental cleaning or a dentist visit after the holidays. Scheduling regular cleanings and checkups can help you start the new year on a note of great dental health.

At West County Dental, we provide personalized family dental care using state of the art procedures. Adhering to a standard of excellence, we provide comprehensive treatment, from preventive care to restorative dentistry. When you reserve a visit with West County Dental, you can be confident that our team of highly-trained dental professionals will provide you the care you need for a healthy smile. Call (314) 488-2921 or contact us through our website today!